Tesla planning London dealership

Tesla Motors announced it will open a sales and service center in London, the first of three European stores that the electric vehicle manufacturer plans to launch this year.

The London facility will open this spring at 49-51 Cheval Place in the Knightsbridge district.

Tesla says it is scouting sites in Munich and Monaco. The company, based in San Carlos, Calif., plans to deliver cars to European customers beginning in late June. Tesla initially will sell a Roadster sports car followed by the Model S sedan in 2011.

Teslas qualify for a $7,500 US federal tax credit and enjoy incentives in several European countries and cities, including waivers of luxury tax, reductions in VAT, free parking and free charging. In London, Teslas are exempt from the congestion charge, a saving of up to £2,000 per year for commuters.

The first Tesla showrooms opened last summer in Los Angeles and Menlo Park, Calif. Tesla will open another store this spring in Chicago, and the company says it is finalizing site selection in Manhattan, Miami and Seattle and is reviewing sites in Washington, D.C.